Depraved Noble: Forced To Live The Debaucherous Life Of An Evil Noble!-Chapter 651: My Husband’s Little Brother Is Struggling To Stand

Chapter 651: My Husband’s Little Brother Is Struggling To Stand

Maria sat frozen, guilt radiating from every inch of her expression.

Her eyes darted around the room—the window, the floor, the ceiling—anywhere but at Diana.

Her hands trembled slightly in her lap and she looked like a woman who had just discovered she had accidentally committed an unforgivable crime.

Diana watched her, and her heart clenched with sympathy.

Because here was the truth that Maria didn’t know:

Cassius wasn’t actually going through any of those symptoms.

Every word Diana had spoken about his changed behavior, his distant stares, his wandering alone in gardens—it was all completely fabricated.

A carefully constructed fiction designed for one purpose only.

And even if Cassius were truly suffering, Diana still wouldn’t want Maria to feel this guilty about it.

She hated seeing her friend like this—so flustered, so burdened, so convinced she had done something irredeemably wrong.

But in this moment, Diana knew it was necessary.

This was for Maria’s future. For her happiness. For the life she deserved but was too afraid to reach for. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

So despite the ache in her chest, despite the guilt of her own deception, She pushed through the discomfort and offered Maria a gentle smile.

"It’s alright, Maria." She said softly. "It’s alright. You don’t have to feel bad about this."

Maria’s guilty expression didn’t waver.

"After all, it’s not like you could have done anything differently. You’re not interested in him. And if you’re not interested, of course you’d say no."

Diana shrugged lightly.

"It’s not like you can force yourself to say yes to such a monumental decision. So it’s really not your fault at all."

But the more Diana spoke, the worse Maria felt.

After all, Cassius was such a young man. So full of life and potential. She had convinced herself earlier that he would move on from her rejection—that’s what he had told her as well.

That’s why she felt some relief

But hearing that her rejection had caused this?

That such an innocent, noble young man was suffering because of her?

It made her feel absolutely horrible.

And Diana wasn’t done.

She let out a rueful sigh, shaking her head slowly.

"It really is pitiable, you know. Cassius used to be so bright before. So full of energy and light."

She gestured vaguely, her expression sorrowful.

"Now he’s almost like a dying flame. Withering away, slowly but surely."

Maria’s panic visibly increased, while Diana watched the effect of her words and knew she had to push further.

This was the moment—the critical point where she could tip Maria over the edge.

She leaned in, lowering her voice to a hushed whisper.

"I know I shouldn’t be telling you this. It’s really quite private. I haven’t said any of this to anyone else—not to Vivi, not to any of the other girls."

She hesitated dramatically.

"But the truth is..."

Maria leaned in as well, her eyes wide with anticipation.

"The other day, I was at home and wanted to get some fresh air. So I went up to the terrace of the mansion."

Diana’s voice dropped even lower.

"And that’s when I saw him."

Maria held her breath.

"Cassius was standing on the ledge."

Maria gasped.

"The very edge of the building."

Diana continued, her voice heavy with implication.

"Looking down at the ground far below."

"Th-There’s no way." Maria stammered. "Cassius wouldn’t—he couldn’t possibly—"

"Of course not." Diana agreed quickly. "Of course he wouldn’t actually do such a thing. He’s not that kind of person."

She paused, observing the horror on Maria’s face.

"But when I called out to him, he turned around. And Maria..."

Diana’s eyes glistened.

"He had such a sad smile on his face. Such broken eyes. It was obvious that certain thoughts were going through his mind. Thoughts that shouldn’t be there."

She shook her head slowly.

"Even though I know he would never follow through, it was painfully clear how much pain he was in."

Hearing this, Maria felt something inside her shatter.

Her heart raced, pounding against her ribs like a trapped bird.

Cassius had been pushed to that point? Because of her rejection?

Because she said no?

Tears welled in her eyes as the full weight of it crashed down on her.

He had been suffering so much—so much more than she ever realized.

And it was because of her.

Because she had been too scared, too insecure, too bound by her own fears to give him a chance.

And it also made her realize something else.

Something profound.

No one would be pushed to such depths over a casual rejection.

No one would suffer like that unless they truly, genuinely cared.

Unless the feelings they had were real and deep and overwhelming.

This meant that Cassius had meant every word he said to her.

Every tear he shed.

Every declaration of love.

It was all real.

And she had thrown it away.

She couldn’t hold it back anymore.

"I-I’m so sorry!"

She burst out, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Diana, I’m so, so sorry! I didn’t mean to—I never wanted to cause him pain. But because of what I said, I—"

She bit her lip, struggling to form words through the tears.

"I caused him so much suffering. I don’t know what to say other than...I-I’m sorry!"

Diana reached out and took both of Maria’s hands in hers.

"It’s alright, Maria. I told you—I don’t want you to feel guilty about this. I just needed to talk to someone about what I saw. You don’t need to worry about it."

But Maria wasn’t listening.

She shook her head frantically, tears flying.

"You don’t understand, Diana. M-My heart is breaking. I feel so much overwhelming guilt for causing trouble for that boy and I just want to help him out of the pit he’s in."

She then looked up at Diana with desperate, pleading eyes and asked,

"I-Is there anything I can do? Anything at all to change this situation?"

She gripped Diana’s hands tightly.

"No matter what it is, I’ll do it! Just tell me something, anything that can help. I need to help Cassius."

"Not just for him, but for me too. I can’t live with myself knowing I caused something like this. I need to make it right!"

Diana hesitated...before she shook her head slowly.

"No, Maria. This is something sensitive. It involves Cassius’s deepest feelings. You can’t just fix something like that by involving yourself. No one can really fix it except Cassius himself."

But Maria didn’t give up

"Please, Diana." Maria pressed, her voice rising. "There has to be something. Absolutely something I can do to make this better."

"Just tell me what it is!"

Diana paused.

She looked thoughtful, as if genuinely considering the possibility.

Maria watched her with bated breath, hope flickering in her tear-filled eyes.

Finally, Diana’s expression grew serious.

"Actually..." She said slowly. "...there is something."

Maria leaned forward eagerly.

"Something that you normally would never do. Something that might seem almost impossible for someone in your position."

Diana’s eyes searched Maria’s face.

"But I think...if you did it, Cassius might change. Or at least feel better."

"Tell me!" Maria urged immediately. "Please, Diana. Whatever it is—no matter how difficult, no matter how long it takes—I’ll do it. For Cassius’s sake."

"It’s not difficult, Maria. It’s actually quite easy. Anyone could do it."

She paused, her expression complicated.

"But the thing is...because of who you are, because of your position and your beliefs and everything holding you back...I don’t think you’ll be able to do it."

Maria straightened her shoulders.

"I can do it." She said firmly. "I can. Just tell me what it is. I’ll do it for Cassius."

Seeing the fierce determination burning in Maria’s eyes—that look of someone willing to travel to the ends of the earth and back just to save Cassius from his suffering—Diana knew.

The bait had been taken.

Hook, line, and sinker.

Maria was right where she needed her to be.

Poised and ready, desperate for any solution, any path forward that would ease the guilt crushing her heart.

It was time.

Time to deliver the final stroke.

Diana drew herself up, matching Maria’s intensity with a look of solemn resolve.

"Well." She said slowly. "Since you’re so desperate to help Cassius..."

"...I’ll tell you exactly what you can do."

Maria nodded eagerly, her eyes wide and expectant.

Diana took a breath.

"What you need to do is..."

She hesitated, as if the weight of the request was almost too heavy to voice.

"You need to go on a proper date with Cassius."

Maria’s expression froze.

"...What?"

But Diana pressed on, undeterred.

"You need to go out and spend an entire day with him. Let him treat you the way he would treat any woman he cares about."

She said as if this was the most obvious solution to combat rejection.

"No holding back because you’re a sister. No putting up walls because of your fears."

She shook her finger to emphasize she couldn’t hold back and went on to say,

"For that one day, you need to just be a normal woman. Let him properly cherish you, the way any man on a date would cherish the woman beside him."

Just then, Maria’s hand shot up, cutting her off.

"Wait, wait, wait—stop!"

Her face was already flushing, flustered and shy as she asked in a hurry,

"Diana, what are you talking about? How would me going on a date with him solve anything? That doesn’t make any sense!"

Diana smiled gently.

"It makes perfect sense, my dear. Let me explain."

She started drawing on her desk with her finger like it was helping her explain somehow and earnestly said,

"Right now, Cassius is struggling with his emotions."

"He’s drowning in the pain of rejection and he needs something to counteract that—something soothing, something that can ease the wound."

She pointed at Maria.

"A date with you would be perfect for that."

Maria’s brow furrowed in confusion.

"If he spends proper time with you—talks with you, laughs with you, simply exists beside you—I think he’ll find the answers he needs. Just from being in your company."

She shook her head quickly.

"Of course, I’m not telling you to fall in love with him. I’m not trying to create a situation where Cassius thinks he has a second chance to win you over."

She waved away the thought.

"That’s not the goal at all."

Maria listened, still uncertain as Maria gave a welcoming look and said,

"I just want you to give him this moment. A chance to recalibrate, to find himself again through conversation with you."

"I hope that by spending time together, he’ll get the clarity he needs to finally move on."

Maria blinked.

And slowly, reluctantly, she saw the logic in it.

If they talked properly—really talked, without the weight of a proposal hanging between them—then surely someone as smart as Cassius would realize the truth.

He would see that she wasn’t a good match for him.

That he was better off without her.

He would come to terms with the rejection on his own.

It made sense.

Talking through problems was healthy. A distraction could help. Spending time together might give him the closure he needed.

But still...

"But Diana." Maria said hesitantly. "I’m a sister. I can’t just go on dates with men. It would be blasphemous. Disrespectful to everything I’ve sworn to the Goddess."

She wrung her hands, torn.

"Even though I want to help him..."

Diana had expected this.

Of course Maria would cling to her vows. They were the walls she had built around herself, the justification for every fear and insecurity.

But Diana had prepared for this.

Her expression shifted to one of profound sorrow. Pity. Genuine concern.

"I understand, Maria. You’re a sister, after all. Going out with a man would create a bad image for you."

She shook her head sadly.

"It makes perfect sense that you can’t do it."

Maria’s face fell.

She looked almost disappointed, as if some part of her had been hoping Diana would push back.

But Diana wasn’t done.

"But the thing is." She added quietly. "Cassius isn’t just suffering mentally anymore. It’s affecting him physically as well. And through him..."

"...it’s affecting the entire family."

Maria’s eyes widened with alarm.

"Physically? What do you mean? Did he hurt himself? Is he—"

She gasped, a horrifying thought striking her.

"Is he doing something to himself? Self-harm?"

Diana quickly shook her head.

"Oh no, nothing like that! Cassius would never go to such extremes." She waved away the concern. "He’s definitely not doing anything like that."

Maria sagged with relief.

But then Diana’s expression grew complicated.

A deep blush spread across her cheeks. She looked away, then back, then away again, as if struggling to share something deeply private.

"It’s just that..."

She lowered her voice to barely a whisper.

"He isn’t performing as well as he usually does. In bed."

Maria’s mind blew it’s fuse.

She blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

"He’s...not doing well in bed?"

She finally repeated slowly.

"You mean he’s not sleeping? He’s having insomnia?"

The words came out in an innocent rush, even as a part of her—a deeply embarrassed part—already suspected that wasn’t what Diana meant.

And Diana shook her head firmly.

"No, no. Not that kind of bed activity."

She leaned in close, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial hush.

"I’m talking about the other things you do in bed. The intimate things."

Maria’s eyes trembled.

"The truth is..."

Diana hesitated, then forced herself to continue saying

"His penis..."

"It unfortunately not working the way it usually does anymore."